


In a Ruined and Drowning World

by prometheanTactician



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, I'll update rating and warnings as they apply, M/M, Modern AU, Past Child Abuse, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-12 00:18:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prometheanTactician/pseuds/prometheanTactician
Summary: “Have you been as bored as I have? The city is on its feet again. The plague is cured, the conspiracies revealed, Emily is safe, and you’re unpacking boxes at a pub. Awfully dull, and quite frankly a waste of your skills.” Corvo watched, expressionless, as the Outsider carried on. “My dear Corvo. How would you like a job?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exposition and an offer.

Prologue

 

__

_“Our first story today: The death of Jessamine Kaldwin. That’s right, late last night the beloved public icon and CEO of Dunwall Tower Inc. was found dead in her home by nearby security responding to sounds of a struggle. Police found her dead on arrival, with her bodyguard Corvo Attano next to a bloodied blade. Attano did not resist arrest and is currently the only suspect in the case. So far there is no further information. We will keep you updated as the situation develops.”_

_..._

_“A development in the Jessamine Kaldwin case! Authorities announced this morning that Emily Kaldwin, her daughter, is missing. Ten year old Emily Kaldwin has brown hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a white dress with a white ribbon in her hair. Their best lead in the case, Corvo Attano, has given no hints to her whereabouts. In fact, he has not said a word since his arrest. We ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to call the number on the screen.”_

_..._

_“We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news! Corvo Attano has escaped from his cell in Coldridge High Security Penitentiary! Police have arrested Teague Martin, an employee of Overseer Online Security. Currently, Martin is under suspicion of aiding in Attano's escape. Should you come across Attano, do not approach him. Contact police immediately and lock your doors until they arrive.”_

_..._

_“Tonight we speak with Chief of Police Geoff Curnow. The topic: The escape of alleged killer and kidnapper Corvo Attano. Mr. Curnow, you are on the air.”_

_“Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to clear some things up.”_

_“Of course. Now, Chief Curnow, Before last night, people believed that Coldridge was inescapable. What went wrong?”_

_“Well Gina, nothing is ever completely… Completely flawless. Coldridge has the lowest rate of escape in the country, y'know? No one’s escaped since the big renovation a good sixty years ago, um… well, before last night, obviously. That's pretty hard to beat. We uh... We do not believe there is a significant risk of further escapes. It’s believed Corvo- Uh, Mr. Attano only managed due to help from Teague Martin, who we now have in custody. But, uh… regardless, we have tightened security in Coldridge, we're updating old systems... Actually, we're consulting with Anton Sokolov himself at this very moment regarding uh... about security. No one besides him and approved personnel are being allowed on the grounds.”_

_“Of course. Now, is it true that Attano escaped Coldridge without harming a single guard?”_

_“Well, I wouldn’t say it was without harming them. He did seem to go to great lengths not to kill anyone, but being out cold isn’t exactly good for you.”_

_“But, if he killed Jessamine Kaldwin-”_

_“Allegedly. That hasn’t been... We uh, don't know for sure yet.”_

_“Of course. But he is your only suspect, correct?”_

_“Well… yes.”_

_“But wouldn’t this contradict that? Why would a man go to such lengths to avoid harming his captors if he already killed someone he was very close to?”_

_“Listen, I cannot stress this enough, he did in fact harm the men in question. He just didn’t kill them. As for the part this plays in the case against him, I am not at liberty to comment on that.”_

_..._

_"Tonight we speak to Thaddeus Campbell of Overseer Online Security. Campbell is speaking out against what he calls 'Attano Apologists.'”_

_"...Now, I respect all cultures, but we can’t discount the part him being Serkonan might play in this! It’s not racist to say that, things are different over there, and it’s where he grew up isn’t it? Loyalty is in short supply there-”_

_“Not only is that incorrect, but even supposing that it was, he did in fact spend most of his life here in Dunwall.”_

_“That's what he says. Serkonan's are notoriously good liars..."_

_..._

_“Today, somebody leaked documents and recorded confessions revealing Thaddeus Campbell’s corruption. Campbell has been taken into custody and is on trial for a multitude of crimes. Embezzlement, blackmail, soliciting prostitutes, perjury, theft, and attempted murder to name a few. The leaks appeared online late last night in a mass file titled "The Heretic's Brand." It is unclear what the meaning of the title could be. Further, they seem to have been posted directly from Campbell's own computer, but not by him. There are no shortage of suspects, as Campbell's company has attacked dangerous figures such as fugitive Corvo Attano and anonymous cyber-criminal The Outsider... "_

_..._

_"Teague Martin was released today under suspicious circumstances. Someone has deleted the security footage of him slipping Corvo Attano the key to his cell. Without this piece of key evidence, police have been forced to release Martin."_

_..._

_“Custis and Morgan Pendleton of Pendleton Mines and Refineries were reported missing today. The twins were reportedly last seen at The Golden Cat, a gentleman's club which caters to the upper class. There are currently no leads to their whereabouts.”_

_..._

_“Anton Sokolov was taken from his home earlier this evening. There are currently no suspects and no evidence to his whereabouts. Authorities are baffled. Who could break into such a secure residence, getting past both security guards and Sokolov’s own systems, take the man from his upper-floor laboratory, and slip out leaving no evidence as to having been there... Aside from Sokolov’s absence.”_

_..._

_“Early today, the country was dumbstruck by leaked information exposing the crimes of Hiram Burrows. Burrows, former president of Dunwall Tower Inc, was acting as CEO of the company in the wake of Jessamine Kaldwin’s death. This has been revealed to have been exactly his plan. We learned today that he paid someone to kill her so he could take control of her company. His vile plan went further. He has confessed to having imported diseased rats from Pandyssia, which he released on the poorer communities of this city. This has resulted in a country-wide plague. He has been taken into custody, but there is still no word of who it was he hired to kill Jessamine Kaldwin.”_

_..._

_“... found Havelock in a dazed state, ranting at the bodies of his co-conspirators. Authorities found audio and written records on the premises. They reveal that the three men led a conspiracy to reveal the truth of her death…”_

_..._

_“Today, Corvo Attano has been declared innocent. There is still speculation on what he did in the months after his escape, but not enough to convict. Upon release, he is now filing for custody of Emily Kaldwin."_

_..._

_“Following a long legal battle, Corvo Attano has been granted custody of Emily Kaldwin. To this day, he still refuses to speak a single word to the press.”_

_..._

_“It is today, a year after her death, that we would like to take a moment to remember the woman Jessamine Kaldwin was. Using her position to better the world, Jessamine was described by those around her as-”_

Corvo shut off the television promptly, hoping Emily hadn’t heard the story from her room. He wasn't sure if she realized what day it was but, whether she had or not, he wasn't keen on having it paraded in front of her. The grief they both felt for Jessamine was still raw. It was nice that the news kept her memory alive, but it made the day that much harder to get through.

He waited by the door of the small home. They didn't need much space and too many rooms and windows made Corvo nervous. Too much he couldn't keep an eye on at once. The layout of the home he bought in the wake of Jessamine’s death was perfect for that reason. The sitting room, eat-in kitchen, front and back doors were all in plain view of each other. The kitchen parted from the rest of it by a half-wall. A small hallway led off to two bedrooms and a bathroom. Two bedrooms. They didn't need two. Corvo rarely slept these days and when he did it it was usually passed out on the couch after too long awake.

He glanced around the house, though he knew logically no one was there, but it made him feel better. He was getting antsy, waiting for Emily to get ready. They weren't in danger of being late, but the longer she took the more time he had to get nervous about her. Was she okay? Did something happen? Did she trip over something and hit her head? Had someone broken in through her bedroom window? He'd have heard her scream, surely… unless they hadn't even given her the chance-

Calmly as he could manage, knowing somewhere in his mind that he was over-thinking, he made his way down the hall to Emily’s room. He knocked, ignoring how his hand was shaking. The day had just started. He couldn't get this worked up before even leaving the house. How was he going to get through the work day, and the whole day of Emily being away from him with her tutor?

“Just a minute!” Emily called through the door, and Corvo immediately felt he could breathe again.

“Callista will be waiting for us, Em.” She was barely eleven, how much time could she take? Finally she opened the door, fully dressed with her backpack on the floor behind her and a ribbon in her hands. She was frowning. The child held the ribbon out to Corvo with a huff, and he couldn't help but smile.

“I can't see the knot when I try to tie it myself.” She grumbled, turning around when her father knelt down to tie the ribbon. It only took him a moment and Emily looked downright offended about that when she turned back around.

“Have you got all your books? Your homework?” He glanced around her room as she picked up her bookbag. He'd have to make her clean it but… not today.

“Yep! I actually did it this time, there's no way I'm forgetting it.” She skipped ahead, as she always did, making quick work of the locks Corvo had on the door.

“You should do it every day, Emily.” He used his best ‘dad’ voice, grabbing her coat despite the nice weather. Just in case. She looked back at him incredulously as she waited for him at the end of the driveway.

“Did you do your homework every day? Did you do it ever?” Well, she had him there.

He listened to her talk the whole way as they walked. She sounded chipper enough, like her usual self. Maybe she really didn't know what today was. Maybe she was coping better than him. He wondered if it would be better to bring it up, to make sure she knew and could brace herself if others talked about it. He considered this, but glancing over at her skipping down the sidewalk with a big smile as she talked about something she and their neighbour Alexi had done the other day... He couldn't do it. He wanted to let her be happy while she could be.

Callista shared an apartment with Cecilia above the Hound Pits Pub. Originally it had just been Cecilia, but apparently Lydia made for a horrible roommate... So, Callista needed another place to live. Cecilia didn't mind the company and Callista didn't mind her cat. It worked out. So now Corvo had to take his ten year old into a pub first thing in the morning while most kids were being loaded onto buses. He wondered what passers-by thought of that daily sight.

Sometimes he worried keeping her out of public school was getting in the way of her social growth. But she seemed to shine in social situations, and got on with kids her own age like Alexi. She had gone to private school when Jessamine was alive. But without her consistent sizeable income, he couldn't afford to keep their daughter in private school, and he worried about public school. She was famous. The missing Kaldwin girl, mother brutally murdered. Caught in two conspiracies, and a father who'd been arrested for her mother's murder. Even besides that, this way she was just upstairs with someone Corvo trusted. Much less worrying than having her in some building across town with hundreds of strangers.

Callista was already waiting, as always. She stood from her seat when they came in, and gave Emily the usual little curtsy that made the child giggle. Emily hugged Corvo goodbye, then ran upstairs ahead of Callista, who chased after warning her not to run on the stairs. Same thing almost every morning. The routine was comforting, after all the turmoil.

“You're just in time, Corvo.” Samuel greeted from behind the bar. Corvo was already tying back his hair. “Shipment actually came in on time today.”

“Well, there's a first time for everything.” He replied dryly, heading behind the counter.

Samuel was getting old, and in his old age he just couldn't do a lot of the things he used to. Corvo, alternately, was still a relatively young man and quite fit besides. In the wake of his trial, despite being found innocent, no one had wanted anything to do with him. No one wanted a security guard accused of killing his last client, and his infamy brought on too much unwanted attention. So, when Samuel and Cecilia took over the Hound Pits Pub, Samuel started paying Corvo to unload and shelf stock for him.

They weren’t open so early in the morning. He’d have a few hours to take care of this latest shipment, and then he’d spend the rest of the day fixing things and serving the few people who would show up during the day. In the wake of the plague, more people took to drink. Hard times were good business for pubs.

“You eat yet today, Corvo?” Samuel broke into his thoughts, hands preoccupied giving the dishes a once-over with a damp towel after a night of collecting dust. Corvo gave him a quizzical look as he headed around the bar to the back room. The swinging door didn’t do much to block noise, and so the conversation continued as Corvo pulled out a knife and began opening boxes. “Cecilia made some breakfast, said to ask if you wanted any.”

“I’m fine, thanks.” He rarely had much of an appetite these days.

“You uh… you sure? I mean, you’ve got some heavy lifting ahead of you this morning.” Samuel said just as Corvo was lifting a few boxes they didn’t need to open yet off of one that they did. They were always piled so haphazardly, no rhyme or reason. The delivery guy was well and truly past giving a damn. Corvo could relate.

“I’m fine, thanks.” He repeated. He had a hunch as to why Samuel was asking, and it wasn’t to do with any heavy lifting.

“...You know, Corvo…” The older man's voice was clearer now, and when Corvo looked up, Samuel was in the doorway. No surprise. He could hear the steps of his feet approaching. “...Today is a… sad day for us all, but for you and young Emily in particular. If you need to talk…”

Corvo stared blankly at him for a moment, before looking back down at the boxes and getting back to work.

“I’m fine. Thanks.”

 

\--

 

It was like clockwork. Every day at eleven, they’d open for business, and every day fifteen minutes later the same man would enter. He’d take the same seat every day, order almost the same thing every day. A rum n coke and whatever pub food seemed to pique his interest at 11:15am. He would be there for hours every day, his food and drink barely an afterthought as he spent most of the time preoccupied with his phone, seeming to be oblivious to everything around him. Corvo couldn’t help but think he did that on purpose. That he was trying to hide that he was watching them, or him specifically.

 _Paranoia,_ he told himself. Just more of his damn paranoia.

Still, he’d find himself watching the man. Dark clothes, dark skin, dark hair, and bright, bright eyes. Grey-blue. _He sees too much._ Was Corvo’s first thought, every time their eyes met. _Paranoia._ Was his second, when he’d quickly glance away. Samuel and Lydia had both tried to strike up conversation with him on occasion. He was nice enough, charming, but never pushed the conversations along himself. He seemed happier to let them trail off and return to his phone, and when he did speak he never really said anything.

Everything about him set off Corvo’s alarms. This, in turn, made him feel irrational and paranoid, which left him with little patience for the man.

Today, that was cemented further.

At about half past noon, little feet came bowling down the stairs to the upper apartment and Emily Kaldwin was down there like a flash, darting around the bar and hugging Corvo before Callista was even down the stairs.

“Emily, I told you, you can’t come down here!”

“But I wanted to see Corvo!” She complained, looking up at her father. “This is fine, right? It’s not like I’m drinking anything!”

“Still very illegal, little miss.” Samuel sounded more amused than anything else, and Corvo couldn’t blame him. He found himself smiling almost daily at her antics.

“You don’t want to get Samuel in trouble, do you?” Callista crossed her arms, looking at Emily expectantly before turning that look to Corvo. Ah. Right. He should be discouraging this, shouldn’t he…

“Emily,” he started, crouching to get on her level. “It’s just one and a half hours, and I’m sure Callista’s prepared a great lunch for you.”

“Peanut butter and strawberry jam.” Callista provided impatiently.

“Your favorite, see?” His heart broke at how dejected his little girl looked. “If you can handle that last hour and a half of lessons, we can get ice cream on the way home, okay?” Emily perked up immediately.

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” He watched as she seemed to very seriously consider this proposition, before she nodded.

“Alright. I suppose that will have to do.” And off she went again, totally ignoring Callista’s calls to stop running on staircases. Corvo felt the anxiety gnawing at him again as soon as she was out of sight. He looked to the stranger with the bright eyes, just in time to catch him glancing away. He’d been watching. Of course he had, Emily wasn’t exactly a quiet child, but it still had Corvo on edge.

 _Paranoia,_ he told himself. _Just the paranoia._

 

\--

 

“Corvo, are you a vampire?”

The poor man almost choked on his ice cream.

“I- what?” He couldn’t help but laugh in sheer disbelief, but Emily was completely serious. They were walking home, ice cream in hand.

“Are you a vampire? You can tell me if you are, I won’t freak out.”

“What makes you think I’m a vampire?” He watched her carefully as she looked up at the sky in thought.

“Well, you don’t sleep. I don’t really see you eat a lot, and you have really dark circles under your eyes.”

“And that’s the criteria for vampires?”

“Well, you’d need to drink blood and be an immortal fiend too, but pretty much!” How was he supposed to explain to his daughter, on the anniversary of her mother's death, that no. He wasn’t a vampire. He was just an absolute mess of a human being.

“No, Em. I’m not a vampire.”

“You’d tell me if you were, right?” She looked to him sternly.

“You’d be the first to know.”

 

\--

 

Four in the morning.

Emily had been asleep for hours, and she’d have to be up in about three to go to tutoring. Corvo was still on the couch, nowhere near sleep but pretty resign to the fact that he’d be staying up again. He had his laptop open, looking through the news while staunchly ignoring the articles about him and/or Jessamine, when the screen went black. He froze for a moment, not sure what had happened. He could still hear the fans, so it hadn’t turned off-

“My dear Corvo.” Ah. There it was. “It’s been a while.”

The Outsider appeared on his screen, exactly the same as he had a year ago. Back then, Corvo had been on Havelocks computer, looking into information that might be useful, when the screen had done this exact same thing. Just as he had back then, Corvo didn’t say a word. There was no need. The Outsider would do enough talking for the both of them.

“Have you been as bored as I have? The city is on its feet again. The plague is cured, the conspiracies revealed, Emily is safe, and you’re unpacking boxes at a pub. Awfully dull, and quite frankly a waste of your skills.” Corvo watched, expressionless, as the Outsider carried on. “My dear Corvo. How would you like a job?” Ah. He’d have to reply. Back when they’d first spoken, a text-box had appeared on the screen, as Corvo’s voice had been hoarse and useless after months of silence in Coldridge. There was no box this time. Clearly, The Outsider had been watching him enough to know he could speak now.

“Depends on the work.”

“Remember what you used to do? Before you were an assassin of public image, and before you were a stocker for a run-down dive. You protected people.” Corvo wasn’t sure he liked where this was going. “I’d like to hire you for just that purpose.”

“...You want to hire me for protection, despite knowing full well that the last person who hired me to do that was brutally murdered in her own home, and her daughter was kidnapped, all while I was there.”

“We both know that was an extreme situation, Corvo. Someone wants me gone.”

“I’d imagine many people do.”

“Funny, but this one has the means to succeed.” The younger man frowned, but his expression was hard to read behind the sunglasses. “Her name is Delilah. She used to be one of my agents, like you, but it seems she is… discontented with that status. She would rather take my place directly. She wants my assets, she wants my information, and she wants me dead.”

“I can’t help you.”

“Corvo-”

“No, listen. Just… just for once, listen.” Corvo sighed, exhausted to his bones. “My main concern is Emily. She’s my life now. I don’t have the time or energy to protect someone else. To do for you what I did for Jessamine would require co-habitation. It wouldn’t work. Find someone else. Maybe Daud, huh? He’s one of yours, right?”

“I told you, Daud was very careful to keep details of jobs away from me. I was not involved directly with-”

“I know. I know. Sorry. Look.” Corvo pinched the bridge of his nose. “He has a whole team, doesn’t he? Call them.”

“I already have them-”

“I can’t help you.”

“Corvo, please just-”

“Goodbye.” He snapped his laptop shut, choosing to ignore any potential desperation he’d heard in The Outsiders voice. Emily had to be his first priority. Whatever was going on with The Outsider, it wasn’t his problem.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No rest for Corvo. At least Emily seems unbothered.

From what Corvo knew of the Outsider, which was more than most but admittedly still very little, then the young man would likely hound him until he got the answer he wanted. As it stood, Corvo was pleasantly surprised. A week went by with not a single word from the Outsider, and while initially Corvo found himself worried about that, it was quite easy to put him out of mind. The Outsider had other agents, after all, and could take care of himself. He’d be fine.  
Day in and day out, it was the same as always. He’d bring Emily to tutoring and work at the pub while she was with Callista. The mysterious patron would show up and fray his nerves simply by being there. Lydia would flirt, he’d politely refute her, and Samuel would keep everyone grounded through it all. The routine was calm, safe, and consistent. It was good for Emily to have that kind of reliability after so much chaos.

_Have you been as bored as I have?_

He still had the Outsiders programs ready at his fingertips. There was no reason to keep them handy, he rarely used them even when he’d needed them, but it helped keep him calm. The only ones he’d ever really used were Dark Vision, Blink, and occasionally Possession. The Outsiders names for them. Corvo thought they were much too dramatic. He’d simply need to open the app on his phone, press a button on the touch screen, and Blink would allow him access past most security measures and checkpoints, and electronically locked doors.  
Alternately, Possession allowed him to take manual control of whatever tech he wished. He could use it to turn turrets against his enemies, but he’d never done so. He’d mainly used it to see through security camera’s. Dark Vision was much simpler. Using the camera on his phone, he could see in the dark using night vision, or see people with heat vision. It was disorienting, using a screen to see, but it had proved invaluable during his days as a fugitive.  
There were others. Windblast would release a blast of energy from nearby electronics, killing anyone it slammed into. Devouring Swarm released a sound at a pitch silent to humans that attracted the rats, who would indeed live up to the name of the program. That one was useless now. The rats were eradicated, and besides, he’d avoided the lethal aspects of the programs anyway. In fact, he found it mildly disturbing how many of the Outsiders creations were designed to kill, and usually in gruesome ways. Though, most things about the Outsider were disturbing.

It didn’t matter. He didn’t need them anymore. Things were calm, his life was in a steady routine, and he’d turned down whatever likely dangerous position the Outsider had offered him. All he needed to worry about was making nutritiously balanced meals for his daughter and making sure she didn’t drive poor Callista to an early grave. All he needed to worry about was Emily. He did pretty well with that for the week after the Outsiders offer, he liked to think, and Emily was high energy enough to keep him busy over the weekend when she wasn’t out playing with Alexi and Wyman. 

Still, he avoided his computer. Just in case.

-

It was at 1:56 the Monday following. He’d been watching the clock, waiting for Lydia to show up for the night shift and for Emily to finish up with Callista. Four minutes, if he didn’t account for both always being late. No time at all, but time enough to see a familiar face.  
After the Loyalists had poisoned him, after he’d been found left in the gutter by Daud’s men, he hadn’t exactly been lucid. He didn’t remember much. He remembered Daud’s dramatic little speech, he remembered someone asking if they should kill him, but there were a lot of Daud’s men there. He didn’t remember all of them. Just the two. The man himself, and his seeming second-in-command.

At 1:56, Billie Lurk burst through the door of the Hound Pits Pub with an unusual discard for discretion. She scanned the room quickly, then lurched forward. Corvo reached for a pistol that wasn’t there. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t there for him. She made a beeline for the strange man on his phone and grabbed him by the arm, trying to drag him out of the seat. It was baffling enough that Corvo couldn’t think of how to react.

“What the hell are you doing?” The man demanded, but didn’t seem to be resisting much.

“We need to go. Now.” Billie hissed in reply. The man looked confused, but not scared.

“What’s going on?”

“Jesus, Thomas, don’t you ever fucking check your phone?!” She stopped dragging him to grab it from his hand, scrolling through it with urgency.

“No one messaged me. If they had, I wouldn’t still be here.” He seemed awfully calm, despite Billie coming at him like that.

“Shit.” She cursed as she confirmed he was telling the truth. “She must be blocking it. We need to tell the boss.”

“Need to tell him you blew my cover too.” Thomas muttered as they started for the door in a hurry, Thomas pulling up a seemingly innocuous scarf from around his neck to cover his face. Billie did the same, but hers was bright red rather than black.

“We’ll deal with that later. This is an emergency.” They took off out the door, the remaining people in the bar standing agape at the scene they’d just witnessed. There was a beat of silence, and then Corvo was out the door after them.

There was no sign of them. Nothing on the street, nothing on the rooftops, nothing in the alleys. Like ghosts. He heard his two coworkers rushing out behind him, but paid them no mind.

“What the hell was that all about?” Samuel looked up and down the road, but found about as much as Corvo had.

“I hope they’re alright. They said it was an emergency.” Lydia added, though she headed back inside without really bothering to look. She had work to do, after all.

“You alright, Corvo?” The old man put a concerned hand on his shoulder, and Corvo resisted the urge to jump a mile out of his skin. He realized he was clenching his teeth.

“I’m fine.” He wasn’t. One of Daud’s men, under his nose the whole time. Watching him. Watching Emily. Likely using his phone to take notes, to report everything Corvo did to Daud. For what purpose? Was Daud gunning for him now? No loose end untied? Was he trying to kill Emily too, in some sick attempt to collect the whole set? Daud had said he’d lay low. What a load of bullshit. To make matters worse, this hadn’t just been Corvo’s paranoia, and that ruined everything used to stay calm. How could he ever talk himself out of acting on things that were just paranoia when this time he’d ended up being right. Another reason to doubt himself. Another reason to worry.

“Daddy?” He turned quickly to find Emily staring at him, quite concerned, with a paper in her hands.

Deep breaths. He unclenched his fists, and then his teeth, before crouching to address his daughter.

“What did you draw today, princess?” He asked as he did every time she came up to him with a piece of paper. Jessamine had always encouraged her drawings, and Corvo strived to make sure Emily didn’t feel the absence of her mother's praise too keenly. Still, Emily frowned at him, staring at him for a long moment. Analyzing him. She knew something was wrong, and she knew if she asked he wouldn’t tell her. She was too smart for her own good sometimes.

After a few tense seconds, she looked down to her drawing and smiled again, holding it out to him.

“I drew us!” She proclaimed proudly. “That’s Alexi and Wyman over there, waiting for me to come play.” She pointed out the two smaller figures off to the side. “There’s Cecelia and her cat, and Callista actually approving of something for once.” She pointed out two taller figures on the opposite side, both smiling. “And that’s us there, in the middle! Samuel and Lydia aren’t there ‘cause they’re working. I’ll draw one for them separate though, so they don’t feel left out.”

“That’s very nice of you, Em. But uh.” He looked over the drawing again. Two small figures on one side, two large figures and a big ball with ears on the other side, and in the middle a small figure with a big smile and a bow on her head, holding hands with the tallest figure who looked very sad indeed. “Why am I the only one frowning?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean- It’s beautiful, Emily, it’s amazing. But why do I look so sad?” He handed it back to the artist for analysis. She looked it over, then look at him, and shrugged, giving it back to him.

“I dunno. That’s just how you look.”

-

 

There was no fridge in the world big enough for how much Emily drew. Their apartment had an entire wall completely covered with her drawings. Corvo told her it was nicer than any wallpaper he could find. When he’d said that, she’d taken it upon herself to fill up the entire wall so they wouldn’t have to settle for anything less. She took on the responsibility with pride, and with glee. As soon as they got home, Emily got to work on the drawing for Samuel and Lydia, as Corvo found a place for the newest addition to the wall. It wasn’t everything she drew. Some things she gave as gifts, and others she wanted to keep for herself. All her drawings of Jessamine were in a box beneath her bed. She didn’t know Corvo knew, and he hadn’t meant to snoop. If she’d clean her own room it would have stayed a secret.

The evening went on, with Corvo making supper and Emily refusing to have any unless he did too. He felt guilty that she felt the need to do that. He should be taking care of her, not the other way around. Still, he made sure she did her homework, made sure she went to bed on time, and then he was left to his own devices. Nights were the worst. Too much time to think, to reflect, to regret. What if, could have, should have. He should have stopped Daud’s men before they’d left the pub. He should have realized the man was a spy ages ago. What had his name beem? Tom? Thomas. Not someone he remembered, certainly. You don’t forget eyes like that. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that Daud was watching him and Corvo didn’t know why. Emily wasn’t safe. She’d never been safe. Every day since he’d let Daud live was a day Daud could have killed her.

He hoped the emergency was someone shoving a blade through Daud’s heart. If it wasn’t, Corvo would be happy to make up for that.

-

Somehow, despite everything, he managed to get some sleep that night. He’d gone too long without and his body was done giving him a say in the matter but he wasn’t out long enough to dream, which he was thankful for. What he wasn’t as thankful for was what woke him. Someone trying to kick down your door at two in the morning didn’t generally leave people in a good mood, people like Corvo especially.

He was up in a flash, reaching for a gun he didn’t have. Locked away, out of Emily’s reach. The pounding on the door sounded again and Corvo’s heart was in his throat. There was no way Emily would sleep through the noise, and no way she’d just stay hidden. He could already hear her getting out of bed during the pauses in the sound. He had to do something quickly, but was staring at the door like some sort of defenseless animal caught in headlights.

The gun. The lockbox was by the door, sealed with a code. The month and day of Jessamine’s death. He lunged for it, hands shaking despite the danger not even being in the house. He took the gun in hand and looked over his shoulder to Emily, standing in her pajamas, looking confused but not particularly frightened.

“Go to your room and lock the door.” He didn’t expect her to actually listen to him. She always wanted to be in the action. There was slamming against the door again and she jumped a little before nodding and disappearing back into her room. He felt something in him relax. His hands stopped shaking. Emily was out of the immediate line of fire, and he could do this.

Gun at the ready, he opened the door.

“He warned me you’d be armed.” Thomas grunted, out of breath. One of Daud’s men was on his door step, holding up a seemingly unconscious young man. Corvo didn’t lower his gun.

“Daud, you mean.”

“Naturally.” Thomas shrugged his shoulders to adjust his hold on the limp body he was carrying. Whoever it was didn’t seem to weigh much, but Corvo wondered how long Thomas had been dragging him around. “He said this was the only place to bring him.”

“Bring who? Who is he?” Despite asking after the boy he was carrying, Corvo never took his eyes off of Thomas, who seemed strangely confused before schooling his expression. A simple task with most of his face covered.

“We were under the impression you knew.” He adjusted his hold on the other man again, shifting so he could move a hand to pull the poor man’s head up by his hair, allowing Corvo to see his face. “The Outsiders been ousted.”

It was definitely the Outsider. Bruised and out cold, but absolutely him. Corvo considered for a moment, then moved out of the doorway. Thomas watched to make sure it wasn’t a trap, cautious despite having been the one to go to Corvo in the first place, and then headed inside.

“Drop him on the couch for now.” Corvo rubbed at his forehead tiredly, gun still in his other hand but no longer pointed at Thomas. “What happened?” Thomas did as he was told, and then stood up straight with his hands folded behind his back, as if he was giving Corvo a report.

“The Outsider hired us to watch Delilah and her people, to keep an eye on their movements. We made a misstep. She blocked out communications, and when she was ready to make a move anyone who caught wind of it had no way to warn or rally anyone else. We didn’t know what was going on until her people had overrun the Outsider's base of operations. By time we could get everything straight and find out where he was stationed, the fighting was well underway. I got there, Daud all but threw him at me, and said ‘Bring the bastard to Corvo. No one else will put up with him.’” Thomas delivered the line so blandly and officially, but Corvo couldn’t help a small scoff. Daud was right about that, certainly. “We’d been led to believe the Outsider had already told you about all this.”

“He told me a bit. I hung up on him.”

“From what I hear of him, I can’t blame you.” Thomas adjusted his gloves, and then his scarf. “I need to rejoin the others. The Outsider will know what to do when he wakes up.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Corvo could see bruising, and a small cut on his cheek, but nothing too bad.

“One of Delilah’s girls choked him out. We think she wanted him alive so she could gloat before killing him.”

“Delilah sounds like she has a flare for the dramatic.”

“She’s a painter.”

“That explains it. Now get out, and tell Daud to stop sending strange men to my workplace and home.”

“Duly noted.” He could have sworn he heard Thomas laugh, but the door closed before he could really tell. Then he was alone, just him and the Outsider. What was he supposed to do about this? Just… wait until he woke up? What would Emily say?

“Wow, he doesn’t get out much does he.” Surprisingly, something like that. Emily was beside him suddenly, and honestly he was surprised he didn’t hear her. “He’s really pale.”

“Pretty sure he locks himself in some sort of secret underground lair.” Corvo muttered.

“That’s cool, but I’d rather have a secret lair in the ocean. In a big, big bubble maybe.” Emily looked him over, brow furrowed. “Is he dead?”

“Pretty sure you know how to tell that yourself. Is he breathing?” He waited as Emily watched intently.

“I can’t tell. Do you have a mirror?”

“No, but good thinking. How else?” He watched her take the Outsider's hand and place two fingers on his wrist. She stayed very still for a moment, then nodded and dropped it back onto the couch.

“He’s alive! Great! Corpse would likely stink up the place. I’m going back to bed.” She basically skipped back to her room, humming to herself as her father sighed in exhaustion.

“Your concern and empathy for others never fails to astound me, Em.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter this time, but I thought it was a good place to cut it off. Next chapter the story will really kick off. Note: Emily is a deeply empathetic child and cares about people. But the Outsider is probably fine so she'd rather just get some sleep at the moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have some explaining to do. I got a new job, school started again, and any will to write sort of... left me for a while. But here I am. Better late than never, right? Things should start picking up from here.

It was almost noon the next day before the Outsider began to stir, and he could tell immediately that he was not at home. Primarily due to the ridiculously high volume of the cartoons being played nearby. Unmoving, he opened his eyes and tried to take in his surroundings without giving himself away. He didn’t know where he was, but he wanted to get his bearings before having to interact with anyone.

It wasn’t long before he realized where he was. Mostly because Emily Kaldwin was sat down on the floor right next to the couch he was lying on, using the coffee table to support her most recent drawing. She was humming to herself, barely audible above the cacophonous children’s programming on the television in front of her, unconcerned that she had her back turned on a supposedly unconscious stranger. Slowly, that stranger sat up, glancing around to find they were the only ones in the room.

“...Where is Corvo?” His voice was hoarse, quieter than usual. His throat was sore and when he reached up, his neck was tender to the touch. Bruised, most likely, but he’d need a mirror to check properly. Emily didn’t react much to his question, or to him sitting up after asking it.

“Oh, he’s making lunch.” Clearly she’d been expecting him to get up soon. She simply continued with her drawing. “Try not to sneak up on him if you go into the kitchen. He might stab you.” She said it off-handedly, and the Outsider sincerely could not tell if she was joking or not.

“How long have I been here?” He made no move to head for the kitchen, or even get off the couch. If anything, he seemed oddly interested in the cartoons Emily had on the television.

“Some weirdo in a black scarf dropped you off last night. Corvo didn’t seem to like him much.”

“No, I doubt he would have. What… happened?” That question, unlike the ones before, made Emily pause. She looked up from her drawing and turned back towards him, brow furrowed and lips pursed.

“You don’t know?”

“I have a… vague idea, but last nights events are… blurry.”

“Well, you’re going to have to come up with something.” She huffed, shaking her head at him as if in disappointment. “Because we have no idea what happened, and Corvo doesn’t like unknowns.”

“Well, he doesn’t much care for me either, so I’d say that’s fitting.”

“Fair enough.” Young Emily shrugged, then narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. “Wait, he knows you? I thought you were just… some guy.”

“Technically, I am indeed just ‘some guy.’” The Outsider replied, causing Emily to roll her eyes and give up talking to him. Wonderful.

Slowly, he stood, and left the child to her drawings. The kitchen was only separated by a half-wall, but Corvo hadn’t let on to having heard their discussion. Though, the Outsider knew very well that didn’t mean he wasn’t listening.

“There’s tea in the cabinet,” Corvo told him as he approached from behind, though the man didn’t turn to address him properly. “You seem like a tea kind of guy.”

“Incorrect.” The Outsider sounded downright bemused at Corvo’s attempts to know anything about him. “I run on a mixture of coffee and spite.”

“Well, we have no shortage of that around here. Pots already on.”

“Of course it is. It’s not as if you sleep.” The Outsider wasn’t particularly shy, peeking around Corvo at the oven. “Why are the chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs?”

“Emily won’t eat them otherwise. Speaking of,” Corvo muttered, the nuggets and fries set on a plate for his daughter and laid on top of the half-wall. “Food’s up.” He spoke a little louder, and Emily immediately ran for her plate, then ran back to her drawing. The Outsider sat at the small, round kitchen table, not waiting for an invitation to do so. Soon enough, Corvo was sitting across from him with two mugs of coffee. He slid one to the Outsider, who raised an eyebrow as Corvo drank his black. 

“Milk? Sugar?” The Outsider prompted, and Corvo looked genuinely confused for a moment. 

“...Oh,” realization seemed to dawn on him. “Right.” There was absolutely no need for the dramatic, long-suffering sigh from the Outsider as Corvo fetched him the requested items. There was a long silence that neither of them seemed to notice, as the Outsider drowned his coffee in a quite frankly ridiculous amount of milk and sugar, but that had more to do with the two men being used to silence rather than any sense of ease between them. “Why even bother with coffee? Just pour a glass of milk and put sugar in it.”

“Caffeine.” The Outsider replied, and the change in his expression wouldn’t be perceivable if he were wearing his glasses. As it was, the only sign he was vaguely amused was the look in his eyes.

“Right. So.”

“So.”

“...Don’t act like you don’t know what to say.” Corvo seemed to be out of patience with him already. The Outsider just sipped his coffee.

“What do you _want_ me to say?”

“Tell me what happened last night.” It wasn’t entirely clear if the Outsider was stalling, or just fucking with him. From what Corvo knew, it was likely both. The Outsider seemed to consider this for a moment, then took another unnecessarily long sips of his coffee. Corvo’s eyes flitted at the sign of a slight movement. The Outsiders finger tapped just twice against the mug as he laid it back on the table. Back to his face, his eyes were fixed on the mug. Anxiety? Uncertainty? Corvo was trying to figure out how to say something… comforting, or encouraging, when he finally spoke.

“I told you someone was after me.” He began, lips twitching into a frown of distaste. “Delilah. I’ve been watching her movements, but I… underestimated her. I thought she was less prepared than she really was.” He sighed, brow furrowing and hand coming up to rub at his eyes. “I don’t know how she got past my security system. I don’t know how she got that many women into the area without me noticing. I don’t know how she so effectively cut me off from all of Daud’s people and cut them off from each other. I don’t…” He trailed off, took another sip. It wouldn’t be noticeable to most people, but Corvo could see the slight tremor in his arms. Otherwise, he seemed completely unaffected. Maybe even bored. Even when he trailed off, it was followed by a sigh as if telling the story was tedious. “I’m not used to being so… blind. I’m used to knowing everything, seeing and hearing everything. A pin could drop and I’d know…”  
“I was unprepared when they got past my initial security, and I thought I’d have more time before they got into my actual… place of operations. I was trying to transfer my information and clear my computers. I didn’t want to lose anything, but I couldn’t leave anything for her either. I get… very involved in my work. I lost track of my surroundings. One of the last things I remember is someone grabbing me from behind and the women laughing to each other.” His hand starts to go to his neck, but stops short and goes back to his mug. “...Thankfully, enough time seemed to pass between them alerting my system and them actually getting to me. The fact that I’m even alive tells me Daud’s people got there in time…” He seemed lost in thought, and Corvo prompted him further.

“You don’t seem very certain about that.”

“I’ll need to confirm with him. Never assume anything. I don’t know how much Delilah could have gotten before they got there.”

“You assumed, though. With Delilah.”

“And look where that got me.” He didn’t snap. It almost sounded like a dry joke. Corvo almost smiled.

“It got you a free coffee.”

“True.” He shrugged. “But my previous place isn’t safe anymore. I’m effectively homeless, and I know she won’t leave me as a loose end.” He sighed, and sipped his coffee again. “I’ll be dead before nightfall.” He didn’t sound like he was fishing for Corvo to respond a certain way. He didn’t even sound upset. He said it like it was an interesting fact, or like he had no regard for his own life. So, Corvo replied.

“I don’t know about that.”

“You don’t know Delilah.”

“Listen.” Corvo met his eyes, and the intensity kept the Outsider’s gaze on his. “I’m not going to throw you out on the street, let alone while someone is trying to kill you. You can stay in my room. I’m sure you know I don’t use it.” That had the Outsider smiling, if only a little bit.

“I could assume based on your character alone, yes. I doubt I’ll be using it much either.” Coffee finished, he got up and headed to pour himself another mug. “I’ll need a larger mug, and your computer.”

 

“I’ll have to work with Daud, won’t I.” It wasn’t a question, but the Outsider replied anyway, without looking away from the screen in front of him.

“You’ll likely have to exist in the same vicinity as him. I wouldn’t necessarily say you’ll have to work with him, but it would be easier if you would be willing to do so.” The Outsider was typing a mile a minute, and when he wasn’t typing his eyes were flitting across the screen. Corvo didn’t know what he was doing. The Outsider wouldn’t let him look.

“Don’t expect me to forgive that bastard.” Emily seemed unfazed at Corvo's swearing, still watching her cartoons on the same couch that a notorious hacker was working on. Corvo didn’t sit. He stood, and watched them both.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. Forgiveness is a luxury people like us can’t afford.” The Outsider didn’t see Corvo raise an eyebrow.

“People like us?”

“People in the line of fire.”

“Whose line of fire?” Corvo shifted uncomfortably, his paranoia spiking. The Outsider finally looked up from his screen, brow furrowed in genuine confusion.

“Everyones.” He supplied as if it were obvious, then went back to his computer. “Anyones.”

“You’re trusting me with your safety.” Corvo pointed out, approaching the couch. The Outsiders fingers slowed to a stop, and he slowly lifted his head. His eyes seemed to change in the light. In the dim kitchen they’d looked blue-grey like the sea in a storm. In the well-lit living area they shined blue-green, like looking down through a placid lake. They were… Nice. Objectively. Corvo could admit that.

“I know you like to think you’re an enigma, my dear Corvo, and maybe to most people you are. But I know you. I’ve worked with you, I’ve watched you. I’ve seen you at your best and your worst, and I know how you work. You’re an honorable man. Dedicated. You said you would help me, and you will unless I do something unacceptably heinous to make that impossible for you.” The tension between them rose as Corvo realized the Outsider was challenging him. Testing him. Even in such a vulnerable position, the Outsider was still playing his games. But that wasn’t what made Corvo angry. 

The implication that this man could know anything about him was infuriating. The Outsider, who never left his home. The Outsider, who spoke in dramatic monologues. The Outsider, who played with the lives of others without any regard for their safety or the safety of those around him. The Outsider, who still presumed to judge those around him. The Outsider, who was still watching him. Who seemed to forget he wasn’t wearing his sunglasses. Who likely wasn’t used to keeping the emotion from his eyes. Who looked painfully uncertain...

This wasn’t a challenge of Corvo’s character, he realized. This was some… strange attempt to comfort himself. To make sure he was in a safe place without having to outright ask it and show even more vulnerability. He was disguising his fear as his normal bullshit. The Outsider had said just a moment ago that he didn’t trust people, but he was trusting Corvo… to a point. He was trying to make sure that trust was well-placed, but Corvo got the distinct sense that the Outsider was already expecting to get thrown out on his ass that very moment.

“What are the chances of Daud killing me if I let you die?”

“None. He hates me.” Not the answer Corvo expected. He just grunted and walked out of the room, down the hallway. The Outsider turned to watch him go. “Where are you going?”

“Need to call Samuel.” Corvo called back. “Let him know I’ll be bringing a plus one.”

 

A plus one indeed.

When Corvo went back to work at the Hound Pits Pub, he wasn’t just bringing Emily along. There was also a too-pale young man wearing too-big clothes, and a too-warm scarf for such mild weather. Emily ran upstairs after hugging her father goodbye, Calista chasing after with a warning not to run on stairs. It was almost normal, until Samuel asked the Outsider his name.

The Outsider looked to Corvo for some sort of aid, but Corvo was looking right back, waiting for the answer. The younger man looked away, uneasy with the interaction, when he suddenly relaxed and seemed to grin under his scarf.

“Jack.” He replied simply. Samuel didn't seem to notice anything strange.

“Well, nice t’meet you Jack. Feel free to take a seat. Any friend of Corvo’s is a friend of mine.”

“That’s very…” He seemed to rethink whatever word he was going to use originally. “... Nice. Of you. Thank you.” His inability to navigate a simple social interaction would almost be funny, if Corvo wasn’t so surprised that he simply gave his name. Samuel left to get back to work, and Corvo found a chance to ask him about it.

“Your name is Jack?”

“Yes.” He turned to Corvo completely, definitely smiling. “Jack Daniels.”

From then on, the Outsider was with Corvo anywhere he went. The story was that he was a boy Corvo knew from Serkonos, who had found himself in a hard situation. People around Corvo didn’t question it too much. They knew how particular Corvo was about the people he kept around Emily, and trusted that anyone he seemed to approve of was probably fine to have around.

Every day, he would set up Corvo’s laptop at one of the tables nearest the bar at the Hound Pits, and type away until Corvo said it was time to go. Lydia and Samuel tried to talk to him a few times, but it never went particularly well. It was painfully obvious that the Outsider wasn’t used to interacting with people in person.

Corvo noticed rather quickly that the Outsider never asked for food, and never seemed to seek it out himself. If he was brought something, he would eat it, but it would likely last him all day. It was a wonder he’d ever survived on his own, seemingly surviving on coffee alone. Another thing Corvo noticed… The Outsider didn’t like loud noises, especially when they were sudden. He was usually so controlled, but something as simple as a car horn had him flinching like someone was attacking him. It could almost be chalked up to being unused to the outside world, if he didn’t watch so carefully when people moved around him. It made Corvo curious and made him realize how little he really knew about the Outsider, but he knew most of his questions likely wouldn’t be answered.

But Emily asked anyway.

“What’s your real name?” She was next to the Outsider on the couch again as he worked, a few days after his arrival. He didn’t look when he answered.

“I don’t have one.” It wasn’t the answer that shocked Corvo from where he was listening in the kitchen. It was how easily it came. He didn’t seem to mind saying that at all, and it made Corvo immediately suspect how true it was.

“You have to have a name. Everyone has a name.” Emily prodded, stating what she thought was obvious.

“Only when they’re given one.” Another easy answer. Corvo stopped moving, listening very carefully. He could still hear typing. The Outsider hadn’t stopped or even taken pause.

“You… weren’t given a name? They didn’t name you?”

“No.”

“But why not? What did they call you? How did you know when they were talking to you?”

“Oh, believe me. It was quite obvious.” His tone was as flat as ever, but the typing was slowing slightly. Corvo heard his fingers stutter on the keys, and though they picked back up immediately, he decided it was time to step in.

“Emily,” he called. “It’s past your bedtime.” She looked at him in confusion, because it absolutely wasn’t past her bedtime. They traded a look, and despite her curiosity and nosy nature, she sighed and got up. She wouldn’t actually have to go to bed… she just needed to lay low for a while. Usually it was Corvo’s way of sending her away when he thought there was danger but didn’t want to scare her. It was a familiar routine.

He waited until she was in her room before heading into the living area, sitting on the other side of the couch from the Outsider.

“Daud says the area is secure. We’ll be able to go get my things tomorrow.” The Outsider didn’t seem upset. He didn’t seem anything. But he wasn’t looking at Corvo, and without eye contact or any little tells it was almost impossible to guess how he was feeling. The silence stretched. Corvo didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure why he had even sat down with him. What was he going to do? Comfort him? Ask him more invasive questions? It wasn’t even clear if he even needed comforting, and Corvo wasn’t good at that anyway. It just… didn’t seem right to leave him alone. 

Clearly, the Outsider misinterpreted his silence.

“If you have something to say, Corvo, then you should say it.” There was a sharpness to his tone Corvo had never heard before. He took a breath before answering with something seemingly simple.

“Are you… okay?” The question sounded more awkward than he expected, which was honestly a bit impressive. The Outsider’s typing slowed.

“Are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Are you okay?” The Outsider repeated, turning the question around on him. Corvo was baffled. Why would he ask that? Nothing had happened. Not to Corvo, anyway. Well, as usual, he likely asked only because he already knew the answer.

“I don’t think I’m ever really what someone would call ‘okay.’” He admitted. The typing stopped.

“My dear Corvo…” He sounded almost fond, and finally turned to Corvo with a small, sardonic smile. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”

The silence was less charged after that, but neither of them slept that night.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a very, very long time. I'm a little rusty, but I have high hopes for this. Let me know what you think.


End file.
